When approaching a career change, experts suggest becoming well informed about any potential job, particularly if it is offered by a close friend or associate and the job description is vague in nature. Trying to do a fair day's work and get good results is very difficult if you can't identify how much authority you have in a new setting or what kind of compensation you are expecting.

Likewise, don't take a new job offer just because it promises a lot of money or a position of prestige (Jack and Suzy Welch, "Before You Go Job-Hopping ...," BusinessWeek, May 1, 2008).

Fitting into a job that you like and that likes you has the potential for greater happiness than a job that looks good on the outside only to be unexpectedly unpleasant once you are on the inside.